The invention relates to a method for authorising a communication between at least two devices in a telecommunication system and comprising the step of
performing an authorisation process,
whereby a decision for authorising or not authorising said communication is taken in dependence of at least a part of at least one process.
Such a method is generally known. For example, said telecommunication system is an existing DECT-system, with said devices being DECT-devices, a first device in the form of one or more DECT-base-stations and/or one or more DECT-handsets and a second device in the form of another, new DECT-handset which is to be added to the existing DECT-system by inputting long manufacturer codes which are to be checked by said existing DECT-system. Such a time-consuming authorisation process is necessary to prevent fraud. Or, for example, said telecommunication system is a car radio system, comprising a first device in the form of a car radio without a front, and a second device in the form of said front. After installation of said front, a pin-code must be entered, before said radio can be used, another time-consuming authorisation process.
Such a method is disadvantageous, inter alia, due to being user-friendly insufficiently as a consequence of said authorisation processes taking too much time.
It is an object of the invention, inter alia, to provide a method which is more user-friendly.
Thereto, the method according to the invention is characterised in that said method comprises the step of
performing an identification process,
whereby said decision is taken in dependence of at least a part of said identification process and independently of at least a part of said authorisation process.
By using said identification process for avoiding at least a part of said authorisation process, the user-friendlyness is increased a lot.
In a system like for example a DECT-system said identification process could be realised by providing said first device (like for example a DECT-base-station and/or a DECT-handset) with a smart card reader or a keyboard for receiving a user-code or a voice recogniser or a finger print reader etc. for analysing a smart card or a user-code or voice or a finger print etc. for identification purposes. In a system like for example a car radio system said identification process could further be realised by using the identification between the motor-management-system and the ignition key.
The invention is based on the insight, inter alia, that when user-identification has taken place, at least a part of device-authorisation has become superfluous.
The invention solves the problem, inter alia, of providing a method for coupling devices having a mutual confidential relationship in a user-friendly way without endangering the confidential character.
The invention further relates to a telecommunication system comprising a first device to be coupled to a second device, which telecommunication system comprises an authorisation receiver for receiving an authorisation-signal and comprises a processor for performing an authorisation process in dependence of at least said authorisation-signal and for taking a decision for authorising or not authorising a communication between both devices in dependence of at least one process.
The telecommunication system according to the invention is characterised in that said telecommunication system comprises an identification receiver for receiving an identification-signal, with said processor performing an identification process in dependence of at least said identification-signal and taking said decision in dependence of at least a part of said identification process and independently of at least a part of said authorisation process.
A first embodiment of the telecommunication system according to the invention is characterised in that said first device comprises a first transceiver and said second device comprises a second transceiver for exchanging signals between both devices.
Both transceivers can be based upon wireless technology (like for example a DECT-system) and/or upon wired technology (like for example a car radio system), whereby it should not be excluded that in a system based upon wireless technology said authorisation and/or identification process is realised via a wired connection and that in a system based upon wired technology said authorisation and/or identification process is realised via a wireless connection.
A second embodiment of the telecommunication system according to the invention is characterised in that said telecommunication system comprises a network coupled to said first device.
Said network can be located either at a first position at one side of said first device with said second device being at the other side of said first device (for example in case of both devices belonging to a DECT-system which is coupled to a Digital Home Network via a controller in the form of a gateway and/or server, or for example in case said first device is said controller in the form of a gateway and/or server of said Digital Home Network with said second device being one of the several devices of said Digital Home Network), or can be located at a second position between both devices (for example in case of said first device being a base-station (DECT/GSM/DCS/CTS etc.) with said second device being a handset (DECT/GSM/DCS/CTS etc.), or at both positions. Further, a first network could be at said first location, and a second network could be at said second position.
A third embodiment of the telecommunication system according to the invention is characterised in that said network comprises said processor and said identification receiver.
In this case in said network said authorisation process and said identification process take place, whereby said authorisation receiver can be located either in said network or in one of said devices, whereby for each receiver located in said network it should not be excluded that (identification and/or authorisation) signals arrive via a device.
A fourth embodiment of the telecommunication system according the invention is characterised in that said first device comprises said processor and said identification receiver.
In this case in said first device said authorisation process and said identification process take place, whereby said authorisation receiver can be located either in said network or in one of said devices, whereby for each receiver located in a device it should not be excluded that (identification and/or authorisation) signals arrive via a network.
A fifth embodiment of the telecommunication system according the invention is characterised in that said network comprises said processor, with said first device comprising said identification receiver.
In this case in said network said authorisation process and said identification process take place, whereby said authorisation receiver can be located either in said network or in one of said devices, whereby identification signals arrive via said first device, and whereby authorisation signals may arrive either via a network or via a device.
A sixth embodiment of the telecommunication system according the invention is characterised in that said network comprises said identification receiver, with said first device comprising said processor.
In this case in said first device said authorisation process and said identification process take place, whereby said authorisation receiver can be located either in said network or in one of said devices, whereby identification signals arrive via a network, and whereby authorisation signals may arrive either via a network or via a device.
It should not be excluded, however, that for said identification process a first, identification processor is used and that for said authorisation process a second, authorisation processor is used, whereby each one of them can be located as described before, thereby offering the possibilities and advantages as described before.
The invention further relates to a first device to be coupled to a second device, which first device comprises a processor for performing an authorisation process in dependence of at least an authorisation-signal to be received via an authorisation receiver and for taking a decision for authorising or not authorising a communication between both devices in dependence of at least one process.
Said first device according to the invention is characterised in that said processor is adapted to perform an identification process in dependence of at least an identification-signal to be received via an identification receiver and to take said decision in dependence of at least a part of said identification process and independently of at least a part of said authorisation process.
A first embodiment of the first device according to the invention is characterised in that said first device comprises said second device.
Again, it should not be excluded, that for said identification process a first, identification processor is used and that for said authorisation process a second, authorisation processor is used, whereby said first, identification processor and/or said identification receiver and/or said authorisation receiver could be located inside or outside said first device and whereby said first device at least comprises said second, authorisation processor for performing said authorisation process in dependence of at least said authorisation-signal to be received via said authorisation receiver (located inside or outside said first device) as well as for taking said decision for authorising or not authorising said communication between both devices in dependence of at least said part of said identification process and independently of at least said part of said authorisation process.
The documents EP99440202.2, EP99440201.4 and EP99440203.0 all disclose systems related to a Digital Home Network, neither one of these documents discloses the telecommunication system according to the invention. All references including further references cited with respect to and/or inside said references are considered to be incorporated in this patent application.